All the Broken Pieces
by TR16
Summary: All the broken pieces must be put back together...if they ever want life to be normal again. .:9x7:. Post-movie. ON HIATUS.
1. Visitor

**Well, here it is. My first chapter story for 9. I've been working on just this chapter for about four days, and I've been anxious to post it up ever since I finished it about an hour ago. I wrote it completely out on paper, read through it and edited it to the best of my ability, and now I am uploading it onto my computer. Yes I know I have a lot of steps. But all that matters if you like it. So I hope you enjoy it and please review!**

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and anything that doesn't appear in the movie '9'.**_

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**1. Visitor**

The sky was clear blue, the sun was shining brightly, and the air was silent. Though he usually hated the silence, 9 found that at this particular second he loved it. He wished that 5 were there to talk with, but 9 felt content just sitting and staring at the memorial that he, 7, and the twins had built for the fallen stitchpunks.

It had been a total of a month since 9 used the Talisman to destroy the Fabrication Machine and the souls of the dead stitchpunks had been released. 9 missed them all terribly, but he was finally dealing with the fact that they were gone. They were free, and 9 knew that they were probably better off.

9 and the others had set up the supplies and various objects around the Scientist's lab to form a suitable living place. 9 and 7 stayed with each other most of the time, and so they had taken a book that 3 and 4 had already read, propped it open upside down, and held it open with a couple of strong sticks they had found outside. They had found a bag of cotton balls and so they had sewed them all together (a difficult task) to make a square large enough for both of them to sleep on together. They had also found a small, square piece of light blue cloth that they used as a blanket if it got cold enough.

3 and 4 hadn't bothered to make a shelter for themselves; they never felt the need to sleep since the Scientist's lab had so many books. They spent most, if not all of their time on the Scientist's bookshelf, desk, or anywhere they could find a book.

On some nights 7 would have the cotton ball bed to herself while 9 sat up on the open windowsill, staring up at the night sky until he finally fell asleep. The sky held hope for 9, since the sky was where the souls had flown off and disappeared. Watching the sky, 9 was hopeful that maybe the souls would come back. Maybe they would find their bodies, join together again, and life would be back to normal. Good and normal.

But the sky also held fear over the youngest stitchpunk. Perhaps when the souls burst into each other a month ago that was the last that would ever be seen of them. This is something he never wanted to think about, yet it always ended up plaguing his mind. All those innocent stitchpunks that were killed…because of him. If he had never plugged the Talisman into the Fabrication Machine none of the events that recently happened would have ever happened, and those who had fallen would still be there with them. He would often find himself mumbling to himself about it, drowning himself in his guilt.

A slight breeze blew, and 9 welcomed it happily. Something about the breeze brought 5's presence to him, as if 5 were standing right there next to him. 9 looked into the crackling fire in the center of the memorial. Five ruts had been dug out from the fire pit, each evenly spaced from each other and about three or four feet long. At the end of each rut a stick was stabbed into the ground with another stick tied horizontally onto the first stick in the shape of a cross. Resting atop the sticks was a piece of cloth with the fallen stitchpunk's number painted on it. 9 wasn't sure where the idea for the memorial had came from; 3 and 4 had begun working on the fire pit, and 9 and 7 merely helped with the ruts when the twins began work on them afterwards.

9 pushed himself to his feet and walked around the memorial until he came to 5's dedicated stick. He stared at the inky black number, feeling the warmth of the fire blow onto him because of the small breeze. Again, 9 felt his brother's presence. He knew that he and 5 weren't brothers in the literal sense, but they were close enough to each other and they definitely shared a strong bond that not even death could destroy.

The wind picked up, though the sky showed no signs of a storm. 9 watched as the fire was blown out in one large gust of wind. 9 was confused as to what was going on and found one thing very strange: the wind was warm. It was as if the fire had been sucked into the wind and was now spreading its warmth around in the air. Weeds that had begun squeezing through the dirt were blowing harshly with the wind. 9 looked up to the clear blue sky again, and saw a very small, very faint green light blink once briefly. And then, as abruptly as it had started, the wind ceased. Everything was still and silent once again. 9 looked around, in case he had missed something. He looked back at 5's painted number, wondering what had just happened.

'It's so good to see you again.'

9 jumped in surprise at the sudden statement. He twirled around, for the familiar voice had come from behind him. There, hovering an inch of the ground, was the faint green soul of 5. A smile would have appeared on 9's face if he hadn't been so shocked from 5's sudden comment.

"5, you startled me," 9 said, his hand on his chest. 5 smirked as 9 processed what was happening. Abruptly 9's optics widened and he pointed at 5. "Oh my God!" he yelled. 5 chuckled lightly.

'How've you been?' 5 questioned. 9 couldn't speak. The one he had been wishing could come back for so long was standing right in front of him. 9, not thinking clearly, launched himself forward with his arms open wide. Intentionally, 9 was bent on hugging 5, but without thinking it through beforehand he merely ran straight through the translucent figure. He looked down his arms for a second before he finally processed things correctly. He turned around to look at 5's soul again.

"Whoops," he said. 5 chuckled again.

'My question still stands,' he stated, and 9 noticed that when 5's voice could be heard his soul's mouth never open. It was as if 9 were hearing what 5 was thinking…

"I've…uh…been fine, I guess," 9 stammered. "How are you here? What is going on?"

'Well, all this time we've been able to come visit you, but 1 never said it would be good idea so none of us took the chance.'

"Where have you all been?"

'1 took us all back to the burnt down ruins of the Sanctuary, and we've been staying there. He told us that staying away from the rest of you was the best idea, so the Sanctuary was the best place to go. He thought it would be the last place any of you would ever go again.'

"So what made you finally decide to defy 1's rules and come pay is a visit?" 9 asked with a small smile. 5's face showed a sign of slight fear, and his optics flickered to the ground for a second before looking back up at 9's face.

'It was actually 2's idea,' he replied. 'He told me to go without letting 1 know. He knew how much I wanted to come see you. He wanted to as well, but he stayed behind to cover for me with 1 and 8.'

"5…when you back…please tell 2 that I'm sorry. This was all completely my fault." 5 smiled and put his hand on 9's shoulder, though 9 felt nothing when he did so and part of 5's thumb phased into 9's shoulder.

'He forgives you,' he murmured. 'He's already told me.'

"It must be good to be back with him again," 9 said quietly as 5's hand fell through 9's shoulder and back to his side.

'Great, really,' 5 replied. 'Though we don't do much because we _can't_ do much, just being with him is nice.' 5 smiled as words came from his unmoving mouth. 'We usually just sit together, away from the others, and talk endlessly about the inventions we could build together if we still possessed our bodies.'

"What about 6? What does he do nowadays? He can't draw, can he?"

'No, he can't draw anymore. But he found some of his old drawings that had survived the fire…he likes to trace those with his fingers.'

"I don't want to ask but I feel I have to…what do 1 and 8 occupy themselves with these days?" 9 asked, rolling his optics in annoyance.

'1 mostly watches the rest of us, and if we're doing something out of line' – 5 raised his hand and did little air quotes – 'he sends 8 over to fix the problem.' His arms rested back at his sides as he rolled his eyes as well. 9 grinned.

"Sounds like what life was like before…" he mused quietly. 5 sighed.

'Yes, well, some people just never change,' he responded dryly. There was a moment of silence before 5 spoke again. 'Anyway,' he said, 'where are the others?'

"I think they're inside," 9 answered, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards the remains of the Scientist's house.

'You live here?' 5 asked, looking past 9 and at the old ruined building.

"We thought it was the best place to stay," 9 told him. "Come on. I'm sure the others will be happy to see you." 9 turned and began to walk back towards the building he called home.

'No, wait 9!" 5 called, extending his arm. He grunted in annoyance when his hand went through 9's shoulder again. 9 turned back around to face 5 again.

"What is it?" he asked. "Don't you want to see 7 and the twins?"

'Of course I do,' he replied. 'But I can't right now. There's another reason why I came. I need to tell you something that you need to pass onto the others.'

"Can't you tell them yourself?" 9 questioned.

'I don't have the time. 2 said to tell you and get back as soon as possible.'

"Why wasn't this said earlier when you first arrived?" 9 asked a bit aggravated.

'Because I was afraid. But I need to tell you…there's another beast out there.' 9's optics widened.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "How is that possible? The Fabrication Machine has been destroyed."

'The beast as lurking around in the shadows the entire time, staying away from us so we wouldn't know it was there. Destroying the Fabrication Machine was not a good idea; the beast is angry and is preparing itself for attack.' 9 could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"Have you seen it?" 9 asked, worry in his voice.

'I did last night,' 5 answered. 'It's just a bit larger than the Cat Beast was. It walks on four legs but only the front right leg has sharp claws on the end of it. It's body is hollow on the inside, as if it could hold something inside of it. It's neck is very long and flexible, though it can retract into the beast's body to make it any length the beast wants it to be. And on it's face are two deathly red, glowing eyes that make it feel as if the beast is staring straight into your soul when it looks at you.' 9 was frozen, his widened optics locked on 5's face. 'I didn't see any weapons except for the claws,' 5 continued, 'but that doesn't make it any less dangerous.'

"Did it see you?" 9 forced himself to ask.

'No, I was hidden fairly well. And even if it had what would it have done? I'm already dead and impossible to touch.' Another moment of silence passed as 5 looked to the ground. 'I had better get going, then,' he said quietly.

"But you just got here," 9 protested. 5 looked up into 9's optics sadly.

'I know, and I wish I could stay longer.' He began to slowly float upwards toward the sky. 'Give 7 and the twins my best…and my news.'

"5 wait!" 9 screamed, reaching out to him. 5 gave 9 a warm smile.

'You'll see me again, 9,' he promised. And with a bright flash of green light he was gone. 9 stood alone, staring up at the blue sky, as a slight breeze blew by to assure him that his brother would return as promised.

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**Chapter one complete! I really hope you enjoyed it. I thought I did a pretty good job on it, and I'm proud of the outcome. But it's pretty much up to you if you liked it or not. So please leave me a review and let me know what you think! Should I continued, or totally just drop it and forget it?**

**Oh, and if you haven't yet, check out my other 9 story "Nothing Wrong" if you're interested. It's just a short little oneshot. Thanks, and I'm awaiting your feedback! ^_^**

**~Taylor**


	2. Vote

**Sorry for such a long wait, I've been working on the whole outline for the rest of the story. I have pretty much the whole story planned out, so now that I know where I'm headed with this thing updates will probably be a lot more frequent.**

**Thank you to all of you who read and reviewed the first chapter! Reviews are amazing people, and they help me keep going with the story. So I hope you enjoy chapter two and please review! Thanks! ^_^**

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**2. Vote**

9 merely stood still for a few moments, staring at the spot in the sky where 5's soul had exactly disappeared just seconds before. He let the news that 5 had told him sink in before letting out a huge sigh. He turned around and looked back at 5's painted number for a short second, and then he bolted around the entire monument and towards the pile of rubble that used to be the case of stairs that led up to the Scientist's home. He climbed up the pile with ease, as he had done it so many times before. He practically sprinted through the doorway, the living room, and up the semi-wrecked staircase. He continued to run down the hallway at the top of the stairs and he burst into the Scientist's lab and yelled, "5!" 7, who had been sharpening her spear, lost her grip on the jagged piece of stone she was using and it fell to the wooden floor. 7's head jerked up and whipped to the side to stare at 9 as if he were crazy.

"9, what was that about?" she asked, reaching down to pick up her sharpening utensil.

"5 came and saw me!" 9 exploded, beginning to walk forward. 7 got up from the spool of red thread that she had been sitting on, placed her rock on top of it, and held her spear tightly in her hand as 9 walked up to her.

"What are you talking about?" she questioned. "5 and the others haven't been seen since they were freed a month ago."

"Right, except that 5 just came to visit!" 9 pressed. 7's eyebrows rose.

"Are you sure?" she asked him. "You might have just been hallucinating…"

"I was _not_ hallucinating, let me tell you that," 9 scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest. "5 came and told me of another beast that's roaming around, searching for us." 7 almost snorted.

"A beast?" she said in disbelief. "How is that possible? The Fabrication Machine-"

"-is dead, is dead I know," 9 interrupted her. "But 5 said that this beast has been lurking around the entire time, staying away from us so that we wouldn't know it was there. 5 didn't tell me this, but I think that maybe the beast stayed in the shadows until we thought that all threats were defeated and we would let our guard down so that it could strike with no difficulty."

"Honestly, 9, tell me how ridiculous that sounds," 7 told him. 9 put on a look of confusion.

"It really doesn't sound ridiculous at all, if you really think about it," 9 responded. "If you want, I could have 5 come back and tell you himself."

"No, 9, you don't have to do that," 7 stated. "Just…describe the beast to me. 5 did describe it to you, right?"

"Yes, he did." A soon as 9 began to repeat what 5 had told him, the twins, 3 and 4, rushed up to them both and began listening to 9's tale intently. 7 smiled while she listened to 9 explain the beast's features.

"Well that seems…interesting," 7 said after 9 had finished. 3's and 4's optics were wide, and they both looks at each other. Their eyes began to flicker and flash as they conversed with each other. As usual, 9 and 7 let them do this without even trying to understand what they were saying to one another. Abruptly they stopped and 3 took 9's hand while 4 took 7's. They led them over to a hardback book with a dark blue cover. Here they released 9's and 7's hands. 3 went to put his hands on 4's shoulders while 4 stared at the book cover intensely. Suddenly two bright beams of light shot out of 4's eyes and onto the book cover like a projector. 9 instantly remember the first time when he had met the twins, and immediately wished he hadn't since there was one very important character missing in this repeat…

A large machine patrolled the grounds on the book cover, being careful not to make any sound. As 9 studied the black and white image he slowly began to recognize all of the features that 5 had mentioned to him about the beast. And he knew that the truth of the beast's absolute existence was beginning to dawn on 7 as she watched the beast on the book cover slowly walk across the ground in the outside world.

"That's the beast…" she murmured. "You just described that beast."

"Yeah, I know," 9 replied. "3, 4, where did you get this footage from?" The projection died and 4 relaxed, his eyes going back to their normal state again. The twins looked at each other briefly, and then to 7 and 9. With speaking not being an option they merely both pointed towards the window beside the tall wooden desk.

"When did you go outside alone?" 7 asked them worriedly. "And more importantly…_why_?" 3 and 4 looked at each again before scurrying off to the tall bookshelf that was full of books. A moment later they came running back with a large circular device in 3's hand. He held it up 7's face, and then moved it over to 9's face.

"And this is…?" 9 asked, pushing the object away from his face. 3 flipped it over and revealed a switch on the back. He flipped the switch into the ON position and a bright light beamed out from the other side. 3 turned the object back over and shined the light in 9's face.

"Ok, I get it!" 9 yelled, pushing the light away. He covered his optics and bowed his head. 7 took the light and switched it off.

"What is this thing for?" she questioned. 3 flashed at her with his eyes, and 4 snatched the light out of her hands. "You can read in the dark with your eyes, can't you?" she asked, completely guessing that that's what 3 was flashing at her about. 3 and 4 both shook their heads before running back to the bookcase to hide their special item.

"How'd they know where to find it is the big question," 9 said, rubbing his optics as he uncovered them and unbowed his head.

"They've been exploring with me a couple of times," 7 admitted. "They must have found it, showed it to me, and I must have told them not to bring it inside with them. Then they went back out alone without telling us to get it back."

"Well, they've wandered off alone before, haven't they?" 9 asked. "I mean…before I was born."

"No, they were with me. We all left 1's rule together." He had no idea why, but at that precise moment 9 shivered.

"We're off the point," he stated, changing the subject. "There's a dangerous beast out there that's hunting us, trying to destroy us."

"Not only that, how do we know that there aren't even _more_ beasts out there that also hid in the shadows until now?" 7 said, looking into 9's optics.

"This is bad," he stated, turning his head and looking to the ground. 7 clutched her spear even tighter and rested her free hand on 9's shoulder.

"I'll go after it," she murmured quietly to him. His head immediately whipped up and he stared her in the eyes. He knew she was tough, and that her whole being was to be a strong warrior, but he couldn't even fathom to think about what he could do to himself if she got hurt or…worse.

"Absolutely not," he told her. "We need to just wait and see what happens. Give this whole thing a little time."

"You mean hide?" 7 said, her face hardening.

"Not necessarily," 9 responded. "I mean that we should just stay here for a little while and see what the beast's actions are."

"Which is hiding. You're doing exactly what 1 did, 9. You're afraid to go out there and face this head-on."

"No, I'm not. I'm afraid to let you go out alone," 9 argued.

"Why? You've seen me in action, you know that I can take care of myself. And if you're _so_ unnecessarily concerned about me going alone, why don't you and the twins keep my company?" 9's eyebrows rose.

"7, we don't even know what this beast is capable of," he told her. "We don't know if it has any weapons, how strong it is, anything! Maybe we just need to-"

"9, I'm not going to let you turn into another 1. I don't want to run away from you like I did to 1." 7 took 9's hand her own free one, and he looked into her optics again. "You know that I'm more than ready to do this. You know that I'd defeat that monster easily. Why are you holding me back?"

3 and 4 poked their heads around the sides of a book that they reading as 7's voice angered. They looked back at each other, flickered briefly, and then shut the book and rushed over to watch 9 and 7 argue.

"7, I don't want you out there alone, and the twins are not going back out into danger, either!" 9 shouted.

"You're acting as if you can just tell me what I can and can't do!" 7 yelled back at him. "It's actually annoying, you know."

"Well, I'm sorry for being concerned about you," 9 spat. 7 clutched her spear so tightly that she thought that she was going to break it two.

"You don't _need_ to be," she hissed at him. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" They both merely stood, fuming, staring each other in the eye. After a short moment 9 let out a light sigh.

"I care about you, 7," he whispered. "I don't want you getting hurt or…worse. I don't know what I'd do without you." 7's face softened and her grip on her spear loosened.

"The feeling is mutual," 7 told him. He smiled at her. "Which is why I have to do this." His smile vanished. "If I don't go and destroy that monster it's bound to hunt us down and destroy us. I'm trying to protect everything that matters to me the most."

"You can do that by staying here and keeping me from worrying about you every second of every day." 7 sighed.

"That's ridiculous," she stated. "I'd only be gone for a few hours." 9 rolled his eyes.

"Regardless," he said, "it's just…the smartest idea to stay here for the moment." 7's eyebrows stitched together in frustration.

"And repeat the exact thing that happened to 1," she said. "If you want me to run away from you, 9, just stay on this track."

"Awe, come on 7," 9 whined. "I'm not trying to be like 1. You know how much I myself distasted his way of living."

"Then why are you acting like him? And don't even try to say that you're not." 9 opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. He sighed yet again.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," he said again. 7 groaned, and 9 looked at her in anger. Then he glanced over at 3 and 4 who were both staring back at him. An idea suddenly sparked into his head. "Why don't we put it to a vote?" he suggested. 7 glanced briefly over at the twins, and then looked back at 9.

"Fine, then," she stated. "I'll stay if the twins vote for you, but I can go with no further arguing if they vote for me."

"And if there's a tie…?" 9 asked.

"Then we draw," 7 said. 9 thought this over for a few seconds.

"Fine," he finally said. Then he turned to the twins. "3, 4…would you rather 7 go out _alone_ to fight the monster?"

"Or have me stay here and _hide_ with you guys?" she finished, eyeing 9. He scowled at her. 3 and 4 looked back and forth between 7 and 9 for a full thirty seconds before looking at each other and silently flickering to another. 3 nodded and their flashing conversation ended. They both looked at 7, gave her sympathetic looks, and then took a step to stand beside 9. He held back his grateful smile and looked into 7's eyes.

"Well, then," he said, "that's settled." A look of anger crossed 7's face, and 3 and 4 hid behind 9.

"I suppose it is for now," she responded dryly. Then she turned on her heel and stalked over to a corner of the room that she liked to spend most of her days' time in. 3 and 4 grabbed 9's shoulders but 9 turned and rubbed both of their heads.

"Don't worry, she won't hurt you," 9 told them soothingly. "And she'll get over this soon enough," he continued, looking over at her. "Soon enough."

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That night the moon shone brightly through the open window and right into the Scientist's lab. It was one of those nights that 9 stayed in the cotton ball bed with 7, almost as if the fight they had gotten into earlier had never even happened. 3 and 4 used their new light to speed through a thick book that they had found on the Scientist's desk.

7 silently and cautiously slipped out from underneath the blue cloth blanket without disturbing 9's sleeping self. She wrote as best she could a small note on a yellow sticky note paper and carefully stuck it to 9's forehead. He stirred, and 7 froze. But he rolled onto his side in his sleep and 7 relaxed. She moved out from underneath the book, her eyes instantly jumping over to the bookcase. She saw 3 and 4 on the top shelf, using their light, totally involved in the current book they were reading. And so, very quietly, 7 walked over to her corner.

She ran her fingers across the smooth surface of the new skullmet that she had been working on for the past few weeks. She carefully lifted it onto her head and smiled as she noted how alike it was to her old one. She grabbed her sharpened spear, touched the tip of it gently, and then grabbed the beak of the bird's skull and pulled the skullmet down to cover her face. She made sure that 3 and 4 were still occupied and that 9 hadn't woken up before dashing out the door silently.

The silver moonlight looked beautiful against her bleached white cloth skin as she ran out of the building. She glanced at the memorial that she, 9, and the twins had built and then looked up at the window that she knew belonged to the Scientist's lab. She lifted her skullmet and stared at the open window, picturing 9 standing on the sill, staring back at her, begging her not to go.

"I'm sorry," she murmured quietly to herself. "I have to." She grabbed the bird's beak, pulled the skullmet over her face again, and looked back at the memorial. The first number she saw was 1. Her eyebrows knit together in anger, but she closed her eyes and turned away. She opened them again, gripped her spear tightly, and ran off into the night.

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**I hope you liked this chapter! I know that it was total 9x7, and I've actually decided that this story will be, like, major 9x7, not minor, as you probably noticed on the summary that I changed. Though I support 5x7, I think 9x7 is also so adorable. ^_^**

**Reviews are very much appreciated! Thank you! I'll have the next chapter up in better time, I promise! XD**

**~Taylor**


	3. Battle

**Hey everybody. I am so incredibly sorry for such a long wait for this chapter. I've been having real…issues going on in my life with school, home, and just life in general. So I've been a bit too busy to just sit down and write. I'm finally taking the time to do just that, and so I hope you like the chapter and please, please review! Thank you! ^_^**

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**3. Battle**

Early beams of golden sunlight shone down through the clouds and into the Scientist's room, highlighting the little particles of dust floating around in the air. 3 and 4 began frantically cataloguing the tiny bits of dust, and after a few seconds of this they both returned to the large bookshelf to continue their reading. 9, underneath his and 7's book, groaned and shifted onto his right side. After a few seconds of just lying still he turned onto his back again and his optics shuttered open. As soon as they did he saw pure yellow, and he let out a little gasp of surprise as he jerked himself up into a sitting position. He reached his hands up and grabbed the little sticky note. He was still tired, and the words on the note looked blurry to his morning vision, but he read the note quietly and drowsily to himself…

_9,_

_I know that you probably just want the best for me_

_and the Twins, but I know that I just want to make_

_sure that your aLL protected. So I set off aLone to_

_defeet the beast, despite what hapened between us._

_I'm sorry, but I haVe to do this. Take care of the_

_twins and I'LL be bak soon, I promisE._

_-7_

9 "hmm"ed quietly to himself as he finished reading it and closed his optics again as he leaned backwards and rested his head on the cotton ball bed again. He held the sticky note in his hands as he lay there…

"What?!" he shrieked suddenly, bolting upright. He brought the note back up to his face and read through it again, his vision completely clear now. He couldn't believe it – he didn't want to believe it. He suddenly turned to his right to see the bed noticeably 7-free. He got to his feet and looked underneath the bed to make sure that she wasn't just playing a practical joke on him, looked over at her corner of the room to see that it was also vacant, and then read through the sloppy, grammatically mistaken note again. 5 had explained to 9 what 2 had taught him about grammar, and so 9 could easily point out the mistakes that 7 had made as he skimmed through it again and again. And finally, after about five minutes of just standing and repeating the note in his head over and over, he let the little yellow piece of parchment slip from his fingers and float gently to the ground. He stared in front of himself at the empty cotton ball bed.

"7's gone?!" he screeched, hearing his voice echo slightly. The twins, who were running towards each other on top of the Scientist's desk with two different items that they both wanted to show the other, were both startled and distracted by 9's sudden outburst, and they ended up crashing right into each other unexpectedly.

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7 carefully and quietly snuck across the eerie landscape that she and the others had titled the "Emptiness", her spear tightly clutched in both of her metallic hands. Her eyes darted back and forth, searching for any moving thing. She jerked her spear into a defensive position when the corner of her eye caught a piece of rubble slide down from the top of a huge pile. She let out a hushed sigh and continued walking, completely unaware of the menacing red eyes following her every move.

The sun was halfway to the middle of the sky, so 7 knew that it was still pretty early in the morning. If she was lucky 9 would sleep in, she would defeat the beast, and she would make it back before he even woke up and discovered the note taped to his forehead. That's what she so dearly hoped would happen, and she almost smiled when she heard a low growl come from behind her. She whipped herself around in a 180 degrees turn, coming face-to-face with a giant machine that she hadn't seen anything like before. Its body was an oval shape with a circular hatch on top and a long, flexible spring with a sharp spear on the end of it as a tail. Its head looked to be connected to its body by a very short, slinky type neck, and its fierce, glowing red eyes stared straight at her. 7 stared back, her optics wide and full of surprise.

She was completely caught off guard when the beast struck her with its front leg, sending her flying backwards and crashing into an old, rusted car. The force of the impact made the last remaining window shatter, sending frail pieces of glass raining down on her. She pushed herself back to her feet, never losing grip of her spear. The beast opened its large mouth and let loose a loud, mechanical roar that pierced her hearing system harshly. She could have sworn that she felt sparks fly in her inner workings.

She began running forward again, her spear ready for attack, only to be knocked back again by the beast's tail. She crashed again into the old rusty car, causing the dent that she had made earlier to grow. She actually got stuck in the metal of the broken-down car and had to push herself out and back onto the ground. When she landed on her feet once again and the broken glass around her caught her eye she got an idea. She hastily picked up our pieces of the glass as the beast roared again. She stuffed the glass underneath the thin strand of wire that ran around her waist, making sure that they wouldn't fall out before running back towards the beast again. This time, when the beast stretched out its leg, 7 jumped to the side and dodged the attack. When she was close enough to the monster's head she grabbed on of the pieces of glass and threw it at the beast's face. To her extreme pleasure the sharp utensil shot right into the machine's eye, sending sparks flying and causing the red glow to instantly fade away. The beast reared back onto its hind legs, ripping a loud, angry growl into the air. 7 prepared herself as the beast fell back onto all fours and stared at the seventh stitchpunk menacingly. And just as 7 thought it was going to swipe its leg out at her again the beast stood up straight and stretched out its neck. 7 watched as long neck continued to stretch out until the beast's head was a good three feet high. 7 stared as the beast looked down upon her, opened its mouth again, and roared loudly at her.

"Oh shit," she muttered so low that she wasn't sure if she actually said it or not. The beast brought up its front leg and sent it back towards the ground at her, but she back flipped and dodged the attack. She began running in a circle around the monster, pulling out another piece of glass. Just as she was about to fire the item the beast's tail lashed out at her, wrapping around her arms and legs. 7 held tightly to the shard of glass in her metallic hand as the beast raised her off the ground, her body completely bound by its tail. The beast's neck turned so that its head could turn around completely to look at her. It opened its mouth to let loose another earsplitting roar, but 7 slashed her piece of glass through the machine's tail, cutting herself free. She dropped to the ground, and as she was falling she threw the glass at the beast's still-open mouth. The glass stuck right into the box that allowed the beast to make any noise at all, and a loud growl pierced the air.

In a fraction of a second, however, the beast recovered, slashing out its leg at her again. She was thrown into a high pile of rubble, debris, and other various items left by the old inhabitants of the world. She grabbed her spear from the ground and charged at the monster. When it threw out its leg she jumped to the side to dodge, but found the monster's open mouth clamped around her body a second later. In a sudden wave of surprise her spear slipped from her hands as the beast lifted its head to its highest, its captive tightly inside its mouth.

"Let go of me you hunk of junk!" 7 screamed, trying to reach one of her two remaining shards of glass. Her left arm was trapped inside the mouth with the rest of her body, whereas her right arm was completely free. Neither of these did her very good; her right arm couldn't find a way to get inside the mouth and her left arm was too cramped to even move. She punched the monster's face, trying to get it to release her.

When she realized that she wasn't going to even get a chance to grab one of her pieces of glass, her left hand brushed over something sharp on the inside of the beast's mouth. She gripped it tightly with her left hand and pulled as best she could until the item came loose of whatever it was stuck into. She rubbed her thumb across the side of the object until she realized what it was and smiled. Without any hesitation whatsoever she stabbed the piece of glass into the roof of the beast's mouth, causing it to cry out in pain. When its mouth opened 7 instantly jumped out of it, and threw another one of her shards back up at its face as she soared down towards the ground. She landed easily on her feet, went to grab her spear, and ran in the opposite direction of the beast to put a little bit of distance between them. The third piece of glass she threw was stuck into the beast's face, right between the two eyes.

She decided that distance wouldn't mean anything, and if she wanted to defeat this monster she would have to close the distance that had just created. And so she gripped her spear tightly and charged again at the machine, which was trying to rip out the pieces of glass with its leg. While it was distracted 7 took out her fourth and final piece of glass, which she threw hardly right at the beast's long neck. When it stabbed into the material what looked like steam began to pour out, and the beast yelped in pain. 7 watched as the long neck began to slowly retract into the beast's body until it looked just as it had when 7 first saw it. And then, without warning, the beast fell to the ground as its remaining red eye faded to black. It was still and quiet, but 7 could hear the sound of processing gears and mechanics. She, after a few seconds, identified them as her own and she walked cautiously towards the large machine.

7 stabbed her spear into the top of the beast's oval-shaped body after she had climbed up. She looked all around the fight scene, seeing that not too much damage was done to the surroundings. She pulled her spear back out of the beast's body and flipped back onto the ground again. She gave a huge sigh before beginning to walk back to the Scientist's building. She was excited to 9 and the twins what she had done, but then remembered that they couldn't find out that she had even left. And so she immediately wiped the thought of telling them anything clear out of her head.

As she walked away from the still beast it stirred slightly, its black eyes slowly illuminating red again. The beast slowly pushed itself back to its feet, its neck stretching as far as it could again. 7 heard the sound behind her, and she whipped herself around with her spear up and ready. And when she saw the beast standing over her, noticeably free of any shards of glass or anything, her optics widened. The beast roared louder than it ever had earlier, and 7 had only time to gasp before the beast struck.

* * *

"Why would she do this? Why would she go? We took a vote, and she agreed, not to go…so then why'd she go?"

9 paced the floor of the Scientist's workshop with his left hand behind his back and his right hand on his chin. 3 and 4 sat cross-legged on the floor beside where he was pacing, watching him walk back and forth. Their heads turned from side to side as they watched, as if their eyes were glued to him. Every now and then they would turn to each other and have a quick little flickering conversation, but then they both would turn back to watching 9.

"We need to help her," 9 murmured to himself. "But how? We don't even know where she is."

3 and 4 enjoyed watching 9 talk to himself, and they began to catalogue as soon as he looked to be starting another sentence.

Suddenly and abruptly 9 stops, the hand on his chin snapping and pointing as a smile appeared on his face. 3 and 4 instantly began to record his position as he turns to face them.

"The souls!" he tells them. They stop cataloguing, look at each other briefly, and then both give him a look of confusion. "They can help us! We'll go to the cathedral, tell them about what happened with 7, and they'll help us find her and save her!" 3 and 4 turn back to each other again and have a short flickering conversation before looking back at 9 and nodding slowly at him. 9 smiled and rubbed both of their heads before rushing over to 7's designated corner. 3 and 4 get up from the floor and shuffle over to the book case.

9's hand ran over the smooth surface of the sharp rock that 7 usually uses to sharpen her spear before taking it and stuffing it into his body. He also took a short length of wire, some string, and a couple of needles. He wished that 5 were there so he could carry all of these items in his makeshift quiver that he carried around on his back. 9 was able to fit the wire and the string inside of himself with the sharpening rock, but he handed the needles over to the twins for them to carry. He walked over to the upside down book that he and 7 stayed under, and picked up his light staff from the floor beside the cotton ball bed. He made sure that it still worked before walking back out into the room with the twins.

"Alright, let's go," he announced, heading towards the door. The twins quickly flashed at each other, looked down at the needles that 9 had thrust into their arms, and then hustled off after 9.

* * *

***sighs* Done. Wow, that fight scene between 7 and the beast was actually pretty hard for me to write. I don't usually do good at fight scenes like that…oh, and yes, 7 swears in this chapter. Oooooo...**

**And I realized something that I totally messed up on chapter one and two. I saw a YouTube video that included the end scene of the movie and I noticed that the memorial that was built for 1, 2, 5, 6, and 8 burnt the sticks and numbers at the ends of the ruts. In my story the numbers and stuff are still there. I totally messed that up. So I guess over the month that 9, 7, 3, and 4 have been living there they set up the numbers again.**

**Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. I thought I did a pretty good job on it, and I'm really excited to hear (or read, I suppose) what you have to say. So please review! Thank you!**

**~Taylor**


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